How To Take Care of Orchids by Marco Cello

As one of the oldest known flowers on the planet, the orchid has grown from just another prehistoric plant into one of the most loved flowers today. Whether you wish to send them as a thank you or a message of love, or grow and cultivate them yourself, these beautiful flowers can light up even the drabbest of rooms with their multitude of colors and extravagant looks. Yet in order for them to remain at their best, you need to know the specifics of how to take care of orchids properly.

Since there are many variations of orchids, you should check the specific care needs of yours. However, as a general rule, the following guidelines will help your orchid thrive:

There are two sets of temperature to orchids at. While you can go as low as 60 degrees F at night, you should keep this between 75-85 degrees F in daylight hours.Although orchids enjoy sunlight, try keeping them shaded during the warmer parts of the day, between 11.00am and 3.00pm.Water is not as important a factor in how to take care of orchids as it might be with other flowers or plants. Unlike many other plants, orchids grow as if they were on top of trees, so very little water is required.You only need to worry about re-potting an orchid roughly every two or three years. Unless they outgrow their pot or the mixture it's planted in becomes damaged; then you will need to re-pot before this.When it comes to feeding an orchid, they are very low maintenance. Since they thrive on sunlight and a minimum of water, you only need to add to this once a month with alternative products. A good source of nourishment is any kind of fertilizer that is high in nitrogen. The good thing with orchids is that they can be fed all year round, unlike many other plants.Maintaining the plant is extremely easy. When the very last flower has gone, simply cut down the stem of the flower pike, and then seal the cut with either melted candle wax or a slight amount of powdered cinnamon. Keep looking after the plant until you can see if it's going to bloom again.

As you can see, it's not difficult to learn how to care for orchids properly, even if you're a beginner to gardening or plants in general. With just a little maintenance, these wonderful plants can cover any garden or plant area with their vibrant color, and give you hours of relaxation as you look out at them.